Birthday Girl
by Idakiller24
Summary: When Gaz seems upset at skool, Zim tries to figure out whats wrong. Not that he cares of course. A ZAGR STORY. Rated T for language. All rights to Invader Zim belong to Jhonen Vasquez.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Gaz woke up, already hating the day. She was stuck celebrating another full year on this stupid world.

Her birthday.

She groaned and rolled out of bed, slipping on her normal dark attire and walked out of her bedroom down to the kitchen, ready for what was to come. She sat in her chair and crossed her arms. Her father's floating head came around the corner with two bowls of oatmeal. It began repeating the same question "Do you love me?" with two buttons labeled yes or no. Gaz was always tempted to press 'no' just to see what would happen, but she was too hungry to find out it would throw away her food or something.

The floating head asked over and over again, already driving Gaz into a bad mood.

"Dib!" She yelled up, annoyed that he was taking so long.

"Sorry Gaz! Be right there!" He called down, making a lot of thumping noises upstairs. She leaned her head on her hand, tapping the table in tune to her father's recorded message.

"Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me?"

"Dib!" She yelled again.

"Coming!" He said half running, half pulling up his pants as he stumbled down the stairs. He was a rushed mess, his pants were halfway on, his hair was still in bed head mode, he had a toothbrush in his mouth, his shirt was wrinkled and his backpack hung on one strap.

"I overslept." He said smashing his fist on the button that said 'Yes'. A short fanfare went off as the recorded message replied happily:

"And I love you kids, now let _breakfast_ begin!" The floating head set the bowls down.

"Today is _October 15th_. I hope you have a good day!"

Then the screen went black, continuing to float above the table. Gaz furrowed her eyebrows, the date was right but it was her birthday. Dad usually put in an extra little message on their birthday, but that was it.

 _Oh well_. She thought, beginning to eat her bowl while Dib continued running around getting ready for skool."What do you mean you overslept? Skool doesn't start for another hour." She said with a cheek full of now semi-warm oatmeal.

"I was going to get up early today to spy on Zim's base. I think he's working on a new plan and I was going to get the jump on him today, but my alarm didn't work. So now I'm late!"

"You're stalking Zim today?" Gaz asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not _stalking_ him Gaz, that's creepy. But yes, basically that's what I'm doing today." He zipped up his pants and spit in the sink, setting his toothbrush on the counter. He strode to the table where his bowl of oatmeal was and began shoveling as much as he could into his mouth.

"Is there… anything else you're gonna do?" She poked, churning her oatmeal, avoiding his eyes. Dib stopped shoveling his food to think. He twisted his face, Gaz looked up from her bowl to see Dib suddenly remember.

"Of course!" He exclaimed, thumping his head. Gaz smirked down and continued stirring her oatmeal.

"There's a new episode of Mysterious Mysteries on tonight! The Vampire Doughnut! How could I forget?" Gaz frowned.

"First I'm gonna save the world, and then I'm gonna watch a new episode of my favorite show." Dib smiled in thought, sliding off his chair and heading for the door. "Today's gonna be a good day."

He opened the door and turned back at Gaz, waving.

"See you later Gaz! I would give you a ride today, but you're not ready yet and I'm already late so… Gotta go!" Then he slammed the door and hurried off. Gaz was still scowling at her food. After a moment of silence she quickly stabbed her bowl with her spoon, causing the contents to spill over on her dress and face. She growled and pushed the bowl away from her, getting up to clean off and _walk_ to skool, apparently.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Gaz stomped down the hallway with her GameSlave2 growling to herself. Everyone in her path quickly pressed against lockers, sensing her anger and valuing their lives. Everyone but a proud Irken, who walked down the hallway in the opposite direction, paying her no attention. They almost passed without damage but in Gaz's mood she made an effort to push him to the side, to which he pushed back harder with an annoyed 'humph'. She fumbled with her GameSlave2, accidentally dropping it on the ground. Time slowed to a crawl as Gaz watched it fall, her character was swarmed with vampire piggies and died milliseconds before the screen shattered all over the floor, the top half of the device broke off from the bottom and were only connected by a few, now loose, wires. Gaz stared down, frozen. The whole hallway of frightened children held their breath. Zim broke the silence.

"Watch where you're going _human_!" He snapped angrily, scowling at her. She wasn't moving in the slightest and no sound escaped her. Zim raised a nonexistent eyebrow and walked in front of her. He waved a hand over her face, hoping for a reaction. Gaz just stared down at her broken game, statue-like with scowling eyes and clenched fists.

"Human? Do not ignore Zim!" He snapped. Gaz pushed past him without a word, and without her broken game. Zim raised another eyebrow and looked down at the broken human machinery. It was the same handheld device the Gaz-human carried on her person at all times. Zim looked back up at Gaz as she rounded the corner, oddly calm. Zim stooped down to pick up the broken device and ran after her.

"Is this not yours?" He asked when he caught up with her.

"Fuck off." She spit coldly, continuing to walk.

"I do not understand your human phrases." He scowled, still walking next to her.

"It means go away. Now, Zim." She said, stopping at her locker.

"Why should I?" Zim countered, holding his hands on his hips. Gaz responded by slamming open her locker door in his face.

"Fuck. Off." Gaz repeated, going through her locker. Zim got off the floor, rubbing his face.

"Well then take your device!" Zim thrust her game at her, holding it in the air expectantly. Gaz swiped it from his hand, threw it in her locker, slammed it shut and walked away

"You are _far_ less tolerable today. What's the matter with you?" Zim glared at her.

"None of your business." She cut, still walking with her hands in her pockets. Zim followed behind, intrigued.

"Well now I _must_ know." He sneered, walking beside her, Gaz began to growl.

"Go away Zim." She cut again, fighting not to beat his sorry butt. She wasn't about to be sent to detention today.

"What's troubling you, human pig-smelly?" He asked again, pretending to be sincere. Gaz turned on a heel and shoved Zim back.

"Fine, you wanna know? I'm having a shitty day. Okay? My dad is too busy making Super Toast or something and Dib's too busy stalking _you,"_ She pushed him back again. "that BOTH of them forgot my birthday!" She yelled and turned to walk away again. Zim stared at her confused with his head cocked, and followed again.

"What is a 'birthday'?" Zim asked.

"Leave it alone Zim." She snapped.

"Well why is it _so_ important that you would be _so_ upset that they forgot what it was?"

"It's not just me, Zim. Everyone has a birthday." She sighed and stopped. "Your birthday is the day you were born."

Zim raised an eyebrow. "Born?" Gaz groaned and shook her head .

"Spawned? Hatched? Generated?" She waved her hands trying to find a word he would understand. "You know. Born." Zim still looked puzzled.

"But that would have happened so long ago, why are you just celebrating it now?"

"No, you celebrate it every year! Like today, 13 years ago I was born. And next year, on this day, will also be my birthday. Hell, you probably have a birthday if you remember when you were born."

"And they forgot when yours was?" He cocked his head.

"Well yea, it's special to a lot of people, I don't usually like mine but I at least wanted some recognition." Zim's confused look went away as he looked down at Gaz, she crossed her arms and scowled away from him.

"What does one usually do on a _birth-day_?" Zim asked. Gaz sighed.

"Most people have a party, with cake and friends and gifts." Zim scowled.

"And I have one?" He grimaced. "Must I have cake?"

"No," Gaz smirked. "You don't have to have a party or anything, people can just tell you 'Happy Birthday' if that's all you want."

"Happy Birthday? That sounds dumb. Why is the birthday _happy_?"

"It's not, it's just a shorter way of saying _have_ a happy birthday. It's basically a day for celebrating surviving a whole year." Zim shook his head, disappointed.

"You humans celebrate too many things. No wonder you haven't progressed at all." He crossed his arms, now proud of himself and his species.

"Yea, well that's how it is, see ya later." Gaz turned and walked off with her hands in her pockets. Zim watched her go with a raised eyebrow and turned to leave.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Gaz yanked open the door to her house and slammed it shut behind her. Skool was dumb. Today was dumb. Life is dumb. Her family is dumb. Her stupid birthday is dumb.

"Hello daughter!" Professor Membrane greeted happily. Not him of course, but his floating screen. Gaz stopped to glare in his direction, but she took the bait.

"Hey Dad." She grumbled, walking over to him. His head was floating in the living room, while his actual body was in his labs, working with green and yellow chemicals. The Professor looked up from his work to see Gaz frowning.

"Why so glum daughter?" He asked floating to face her. Gaz turned her head and stuck her hands in her pockets.

"No reason."

"Having a bad day?" He poked, the screen leaning over above her. Her hands clenched into fists in her pockets.

"Yea, kinda."

"Well," He chuckled. The screen's mechanical arms unfolded from the side and patted Gaz on the head, earning a growl. "I'm sure whatever it is, everything will be fine. Perhaps we can talk about it next family night."

"When's that?" She opened an eye up at him. He thought for a moment before turning away.

"Simmons! When do I have my next family night scheduled?" A voice called out from off screen.

"Looks like it's in March on the 14th sir!" Gaz dropped her gaze. The professor turned back to his sulking daughter.

"March 14th. Don't forget now!" He waved a mechanical finger at her.

I _won't._ She thought bitterly. The arms spun Gaz around and pushed her toward the stairs.

"Run along now, daughter. Go play in your room."

"Whatever." She grumbled, heading up the stairs.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" He piped up. Gaz stopped and turned on the stairs. "Where's your brother?"

"He's with Zim." She turned back around and walked up the stairs. The professor chuckled jovially.

"Ah well, it's good he's making friends."

Gaz walked in her room and slammed the door shut. She hopped up on her bed and laid down flat staring at the ceiling. She sighed and reached into her pocket for a GameSlave that wasn't there.

 _Stupid Zim._ She thought angrily. _He better hope I don't find him alone._

Gaz sat up in bed and looked around her room, stopping at her pile of stuffed animals. She got up and knelt in front of them, picking out her cupcake toy. It was a happy cupcake with bright eyes and a cartoony smile and a lit birthday candle on top of it. She closed her eyes for a moment before gently blowing on the candle. Gaz looked at the cupcake for a second before ripping the flame part of the candle off and throwing it in her trash can.

 _Happy Birthday to me._

* * *

Zim paced in his labs, grumbling to himself.

"Birthdays…" He mocked shaking his head. "Completely unnecessary holiday."

He stopped and crossed his arms.

"Irkens have no need for _birthdays_." He said proudly. "A stupid concept. 'A day to celebrate surviving another year'." He mocked shaking his head.

"I don't need a birthday to know the almighty ZIM has survived yet another GLORIOUS year!" He smiled.

"Why, I already know I've lived a hundred and… fifty… no… forty… three?" Zim stopped to think. How old was he?

 _Let's see… I spent a few years in training on Devastis… a year on Earth… um….. there was that thing with Tak about… 50 years ago… that's…_

Zim stopped again, actually having no idea how old he was. He frowned and reached for his PAK, extending a cord from the bottom and walking over to plug himself into his computer.

"Computer! Bring up my basic data."

The screen lit up with different information.

 _Irken: Zim_

 _Function: Food service drone_

Zim chuckled, obviously his Tallest had not changed that since he quit his banishment on Foodcourtia. He continued reading.

 _Irken ZIM is the 1,336,876th smeet to be produced on Glarver 45th of the 5604th cycle._

"Computer!" He snapped. "Translate that into Earth time."

"Irken ZIM is the 1,336,876th smeet to be produced on March 30th, 1839."

"So that makes me… 162 Earth years old." He smiled proudly. "And what wonderful years they were…"

But something still irked Zim, he couldn't stop thinking of the little Gaz-human's forgotten birthday. On Earth they were immensely important, something to be celebrated, appreciated, remembered. He scoffed, pushing his thoughts aside.

"Who cares? The mighty ZIM has no sympathy for the little purple _worm's_ survival celebration." He frowned and continued pacing. The Gaz-demon was, after all, a cruel human beast-monster. Very touchy. Especially today, her forgotten day of birth has made her more insufferable than usual.

 _Stupid Dib-monkey._ Obviously he is to blame for his litter mate's moodiness, he and her father unit. Then Zim stopped, raising an eyebrow.

 _Perhaps the Gaz-worm will continue to be moody until her birthday is acknowledged._ He scowled to himself. _The stupid Dib-worm has doomed us all then… Her male caretaker is also apparently useless._ Zim groaned and rubbed his antennae back against his head.

 _Perhaps then…_ He grimaced. The Gaz-beast only accompanies herself with the useless Dib-worm, no one else. Which means it would have to be up to him to fix her. What did she say humans did on their birthdays?

 _Cake…_ If he was to allow GIR to bake her one, he would most likely poison her, or put something in it that would only anger her further. So that's out.

 _Party?_ No. Zim would not be able to withstand any kind of human interaction for any length of time. And he did not like the Gaz enough to plan such torture.

 _Gift?_ That would have to do, but what?

* * *

Gaz sat in her bed, throwing a ball against the wall. It bounced off, down onto the floor, and back up on her bed for her to throw again. She was bored, and still pissy, she had been doing this for a solid hour. Perfect silence filled the room, all except for the thumps of the little purple ball, which had just bounced just low enough for it to miss the bed and roll away on the floor. She groaned and sat back against the wall.

 _Still bored…_

 _So bored…_

 **CRASH!**

Gaz leapt out of her skin as something heavy broke through her window, scattering glass and debris all over her floor, and skittered under her desk. Gaz shot over to her window to catch a glimpse of her newest victim, but no one was there. She looked around her room, the object was just barely visible under her desk. She carefully stepped around the glass to pick it up. It was lightweight and sloppily wrapped in purple wrapping paper. It had a note attached.

 _We will never speak of this._

 _Happy Birthday._

 _Z_

Gaz raised an eyebrow and began tearing apart the paper. Inside was a brand new game controller with an Irken insignia on the front of it. It was a clearly modified version of a normal GameSlave2, figures Zim would want to improve it. Gaz smiled and turned it on, dropping the wrapping paper and sitting back on her bed. Ignoring the mess, and playing her new game.

* * *

 _Awww, Zim wanted to give her a gift! Isn't that sweet? ZaGr have always been my favorite IZ pairing. Also, before you say anything. I realize that Zim's age is wrong. I added it up to 2001 which is when IZ began. Also, March 30th is the day the first IZ episode aired, so I thought it would have been appropriate. Hope you enjoyed! Don't forget to review!_


End file.
